Graffiti bandit free to leave country with paying fine

AN international graffiti bandit who had a hit list of Melbourne train stations to attack is free to leave the country without paying his fine.

David Isaksen Kjellin pleaded guilty to 37 charges in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday over his one-month crime spree that saw 10 trains attacked with the tag GH — some as large as 883m.

The spray can pest, who took photos of each mural, refused to apologise as he walked free from court with a $5000 fine and a 12-month jail sentence, wholly suspended.

In the past few days, he has paid an additional $4000 clean-up bill to Metro.

When police searched the 25-year-old’s home they found an exercise book containing graffiti sketches of the GH tag, a mobile phone holding images of his vandalism, a train network map with certain stations circled in pen, 19 spray cans and a small amount of marijuana.

Magistrate Duncan Reynolds was told the Swedish national arrived on a working visa only four months before the vandalism started.

“He has made his mark in that time,” Mr Reynolds said.

“The period you have been in Australia, you have been involved in a pattern of offending which is hard to see would be anything other than a disregard for the rights of the public.”

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Nick Murray said Isaksen Kjellin “possessed a sufficient of trains” and would jump myki barriers and crawl through a fence to spray carriages.

“He is a graffiti enthusiast. While in Melbourne he commenced a series of criminal damages across the transport network by applying graffiti to stationary train carriages,” Sgt Murray said.

Between February and March he struck trains at Flinders St, Belgrave, Layby Siding Yard, between Southern Cross and North Melbourne, and Greensborough.

The court was told Isaksen Kjellin had previously left his tag in Asian countries and Sweden, but had been granted permission for the graffiti.

He had booked his flight out of Australia for this Saturday, despite the prospect of jail hanging over his head, the court heard.

Metro spokeswoman Larisa Tait said it had a dedicated team who investigated every graffiti and vandalism incident, and CCTV, and those engaging in the criminal act would be caught.

“We have worked closely with Victoria Police to bring this graffiti vandal to justice, and are pleased with the outcome today.”

Isaksen Kjellin pleaded guilty to several offences, including criminal damage, possessing a drug of dependence, possessing a prescribed graffiti implement without lawful excuse and not holding a valid rail ticket.